WHAT MAKES ANNERINE TICK?

14311251_1831191280448809_8913264364133753815_o-2Annerine du Plessis is one of Schnetler’s Litigation Attorneys, who also heads-up the Litigation Department. Annerine has been part of the Schnetler’s team for the past 4 years. She has taken a fledgling department and grown it into a very busy and ever-expanding division of the firm. As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover – she may be young, but she knows her stuff!

I sat down with Annerine, armed with a list of questions aimed at allowing us to discover a little more about who Annerine is.

Where did you grow up and attend school, and thereafter university?

I grew up in the Northern Cape, and attended high school in a small town named Groblershoop, which is near to Upington. After matriculating, I packed my bags and set out for the Western Cape to become a Matie. I still miss those care-free days!

What or who influenced you in your decision to become an attorney?

My late father was a Magistrate, and I used to love sitting in his courtroom during school and varsity holidays listening to trials. My mother always says that I love arguing and fighting for a cause, so I suppose for me, law was the obvious career choice!

For how long have you been practising as an attorney?

After completing my two years of articles, I was admitted as an attorney of the High Court, and have now been practising as an attorney since 2010.

What part of your work is the most interesting to you and brings you the most satisfaction?

I am a very inquisitive person by nature, and in my line of work I learn something new every day. When I am confronted with a legal matter or question, I always start off by dissecting the issue/s at hand, carrying out extensive research on the topic if required, and then by evaluating what the possible solutions to the problem may be. Nothing brings me more satisfaction than a client who appreciates my brutal honesty regarding the feasibility of pursuing a matter.

I am sure that many people would agree that the last profession that comes to mind when meeting you is ‘law’. Is there any other profession/field of work that you could have been/are interested in?

I get that a lot! Yes, looks can be deceiving! I have been blessed with a creative and artistic side to my personality. It has always been a dream of mine to have my very own art studio/gallery, combining it with an intimate arts theatre. Let’s say that this is my 20-year goal!

Another great love of mine, is teaching. My dream is to complete my Master’s Degree, and thereafter to lecture at my alma mater.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t at the office?

This might sound boring, but I am crazy about sleep! My colleagues will confirm that I religiously have a lunch-time nap in my office. I am the proud mother of a beautiful two-year-old daughter who keeps me busy, and with whom I adore spending time with. I am also a big movie fan!

Compiled by: Laura Ames

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

WHAT’S COOKING AT SCHNETLER’S?

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So we have yet again reached the end of another year! 2016 was filled with its fair share of ups and downs.  Our firm has said goodbye to two of our staff members and welcomed a new one. We have had some personal set-backs, have reached successes and learned from our failures, but together we are a stronger team.  The Schnetler’s staff have been working very hard this year to live up to our motto of excellence personified and we are proud of each and every one of them.

On Friday, 25 November we combined our year-end function with some team building and we all spent time together at Giggling Gourmet in Green Point where we were tasked with cooking interesting dishes which at the end made up our fabulous feast. The MasterChef potential was certainly not lacking and we had a couple of good laughs at ourselves –  who would have thought that attorneys can shine in the kitchen! Visit our Facebook page to see some more fun photos taken on the day.

In this last newsletter article of the year we would like to thank all our clients for making 2016 a most interesting one. The Schnetler’s team wishes you all a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year!

Compiled by: Annerine du Plessis

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

CAN I AMEND MY WILL?

a3Having a Will is a final statement of how you want your assets to be managed after your death. However, sometimes you may want to change your Will and how your estate will be administered after your death. You may have had a child following the drafting of your Will, for example, and wish to include him/her in your Will. You may have also acquired more assets and would like to reconsider how these are divided between your possible heirs/heiresses.

What is a Codicil?

When you decide to make an addition to your Will, or a minor alteration thereto, you may make use of a Codicil. A Codicil is a schedule or annexure to an existing Will, which is made to supplement or to amend an existing Will. A Codicil must comply with the same requirements for a valid Will. A Codicil need not be signed by the same witnesses who signed the original Will.

What if I want to amend my Will?

  1. Amendments to a Will must comply with the same requirements for a valid Will and if you cannot write, with the same requirements listed under that heading.
  2. When amending a Will, the same witnesses who signed the original Will need not sign it.

Must I amend my Will after divorce?

A bequest to your divorced spouse in your Will, which was made prior to your divorce, Will not necessarily fall away after divorce.

  1. The Wills Act stipulates that, except where you expressly provide otherwise, a bequest to your divorced spouse will be deemed revoked if you die within three months of the divorce.
  2. This provision is to allow a divorced person a period of three months to amend his/her Will, after the trauma of a divorce.
  3. Should you, however, fail to amend your Will within three months after your divorce, the deemed revocation rule will fall away, and your divorced spouse will benefit as indicated in your Will.

References:

http://www.justice.gov.za/master/m_deseased/deceased_wills.html

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

WHAT IS A TITLE DEED?

a4If you are planning to buy a new property, you will need to get the Title Deed transferred into your name in order to prove that you are the owner of the property. You will need the assistance of an attorney specialising in property transfers (also known as a conveyancer) to help you transfer the Title Deed into your name.

You will only become the owner of the property when the Registrar of Deeds signs the transfer. Once it has been signed, a copy of the Title Deed is kept at the Deeds Office closest to you.

A Title Deed is documentary proof of ownership in terms of the Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937. Each property has its own separate Title Deed. It is an important document containing all the details pertaining to a particular property.

These details are:

  • The name of the existing owner as well as the previous owners.
  • A detailed property description which includes its size.
  • The purchase price of the property paid by the existing owner.
  • Conditions applicable to the zoning, use and sale of the land.
  • All real rights registered in respect of the property.

The owner will normally have the Title Deed or a copy thereof in his possession. Before signing an offer to purchase carefully scrutinise the Title Deed.

What is the Deeds Office and the Deeds Registry?

There are numerous Deeds Offices throughout South Africa. Each Deeds Office holds a Deeds Registry, containing filed Title Deeds of all the properties in its particular jurisdiction. All the Deeds Registries are linked to a computer network. Your estate agent can, via a computer-linked facility from his office, examine any Title Deed (registered from 1980) in the country’s combined Deeds Registry.

What’s the Difference Between a Property Deed and a Title?

Title is the legal way of saying you own a right to something. For real estate purposes, title refers to ownership of the property, meaning that you have the rights to use that property. It may be a partial interest in the property or it may be the full. However, because you have title, you can access the land and potentially modify it as you see fit. Title also means that you can transfer that interest or portion that you own to others. However, you can never legally transfer more than you own. Deeds, on the other hand, are the actual legal documents that transfer title from one person to another.

References: